A False Light

The following will appear in the Pharos Tribune as part of the "Parson to Person" program they have.

 

Most people like to see their name in print.

But not Eddie Bueno.

When Bueno saw the name of his family mentioned in the local newspaper, he was not happy. In fact, he was “devastated.”

He had spent nearly his whole life trying to escape his family and so far had succeeded; the last thing he wanted was to read an article about his family with the headline “Denver’s Biggest Crime Family.” The article described how 15 of the 18 children of Pete and Della Bueno had a string of arrests, dubbing them “Denver’s biggest crime family.”

Just one big problem. The article did not mention that Eddie was not one of those 15 of 18 children, or that he had lived an upright successful life since age 13 when he left the family to pursue a better way.

What is one to do when someone portrays one’s character publicly in an inaccurate way? He was hurt enough to do something about it, so he sued the newspaper for portraying him in a “false light.” Thirty states allow such suits, similar to chargers of defamation of character.  The United States Supreme Court has also approved false light legal actions.

A jury agreed that the paper had portrayed Bueno unjustly in a false light and awarded him over $100,000. Nevertheless, on appeal, another justice overturned the case.

What does this legal notion of presenting someone in a false light have to do with us during the Christmas season?

Many Christians now prefer the title “Christ-follower.” I find either title quite challenging. We are identifying ourselves with Jesus Christ.

Christians offer a confession of sin (presenting Christ in a false light) on a regular basis in church. Within the Christian community, we will think of other groups as presenting Christ in a false light. As individuals, we might think of those with whom we disagree as doing so. Today, let us prayerfully reflect upon how we have done so.

In Romans 15:4-13, ending the ethical portion of the letter, we read of what it might mean to present Christ in a true light. Paul suggests that as Christ-followers, we would offer the light of hope, rooted in the promises of scripture to the Jewish people and that God has now promised to the world through Christ. “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight,” we sing in “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” We would also offer the light of healing in relationships, welcoming each other even as Christ welcomed us. In the Advent hymn “Once in Royal David’s City,” we read, “Jesus is our childhood’s pattern/ daily like us lived and grew/ Jesus, little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles and comfort knew.” Then in another verse: “So, like Jesus, we should be/ serving God obediently.” We would also offer the light of holiness, in the sense of glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ “together” and “with one voice.” For Paul, that meant between Jew and Gentile, even as the traditional Advent hymn puts it, “O come, O come Emmanuel / and ransom captive Israel / that mourns in lonely exile here / until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! / Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel.” If we within the Christian community are not offering to the world the God of hope, healing, and holiness, we are portraying Christ in a false light.

 

It is an interesting case for the second Sunday in Advent. The question for us, as we sit beneath the light of the Bethlehem star, and as we peer into the manger at the Bright and Morning Star, is, In what kind of light are we portraying God in Jesus Christ to the world? False light? Or true light? This question matters most during this season of light in which we celebrate and anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ.